Question - Multiple Sclerosis Message Board

CarlaSue · 07-27-2004, 04:24 PM

About a year ago I started having a slight tremor/involuntary spasm in my right index finger. It would happen occasionally. Then stopped all together. About 3 months ago it started again....this time more often. Last week I started having the feeling of pins and needles in my right side of the body only. Now I also have it in my left leg and my entire back and butt. I have absolutely no pain. I have no back problems/injuries. I have no loss of balance or vision. I work on the computer a lot for my job and have found that my fingers dont work like they use to. They seem slow and unsteady. My dr is sending me for an MRI on Thursday. I was just wondering if these symptoms seemed consistant with MS. The dr. never said he thought that .... just that he wanted me to have an MRI. But I have been reading up on things and was just concerned w/my symptoms.

Thank you

sunshine149 · 07-28-2004, 02:27 PM

Your doctor is doing the right thing by sending you for an MRI. Hopefully you will get some answers and very soon. MS is very undefineable in a way. Your symptoms could be MS-related, however, it could be any number of things. I know that probably isn't very helpful. Keep us posted.
Best of luck-

Jewel2 · 07-28-2004, 02:59 PM

Hi CarlaSue,
Sunshine is right. Your symptoms could be MS, but they could be from many other things as well. I'm kind of surprised that your doctor is going straight to an MRI before doing some blood tests to check for other things such as thyroid, vitamin B12 deficiency, Lymes disease, etc. But perhaps he's already done those things.

I hope you figure out what's going on!

Take care,

Julie

CarlaSue · 07-28-2004, 03:33 PM

Thank you for your replys so far. I have recently had bloodwork done to check many things one of which I am sure was thyroid which was ok. Not sure about Vit b12 or Lyme's disease though.

Probably a few other things I should mention are that it is hard for me to write with a regular sized pen. I have to use a big fat pen to be able to hold it properly. I haven't really noticed a lot of vertigo but I have stumbled a little bit now and then. This constant feeling of my body being asleep/creepy crawly is driving me insane. It started last Wednesday and has not let up at all. It is now here and there throughout my entire body. Sometimes here sometimes there. The tremors in my finger are less now that this numbness has started....wierd. Tomorrow I go for an MRI of brain and neck with contrast. Then I am scheduled for an EMG in August. I had no idea what one of those tests were until I read about them on here. Now I am a little apprehensive. The fear of not knowing what is wrong combined with this creepy crawly sleepy feeling is driving me insane. I am at the point now where I just want to know what it is. I am tired of waiting......anyone know how long it usually takes to get the results from the MRI? Reading some of the responses that people are told its stress or all in their head scares me because if that is what they tell me I will scream. I can't stand this feeling much longer.

Thank you all for your help so far.

Jewel2 · 07-28-2004, 06:26 PM

Hi CarlaSue,
The amount of time between having the MRI done and getting the report varies, but generally it takes a little less than a week unless there is a rush on it. And it most likely won't come to you; it will go to the doctor who ordered it. And then depending on the doc, he will interpret it to you in his own words, or go over it specifically with you at a followup appt. I would request a copy of the actual report so you can read with your own eyes what the radiologist wrote.

All of this varies depending on your specific medical community.

I know it's stressful waiting - I really understand. Come here as often as you need to ask questions or vent your frustrations. Getting an MS diagnosis can be a painfully slow process. There are a lot of people here in what we call "Limboland."

Sad as an MS diagnosis is, sometimes it's just nice to know what you're dealing with.

Best wishes,
Julie